In-Crowd & Out-Crowd

I don't think that many people consider the Internet as a public forum. For the most part, people who use social networks, and are active members of online communities don't think twice about anyone beyond their current networks finding them. The Internet has blurred the lines between "public" and "private" because what we know as a public place in the real world where we might hang out, the place where some people hang out on the net is private to them. Thanks to social networks like Facebook and Myspace, we have all found ourselves blurring those same lines of public and private. On Myspace, someone can find you and find out about where you live, how old you are, and what things you're into just by reading one page. Normally, you'd have to be know someone on a more personal level before having that kind of information about them. Most girls on the net have tried to find acceptance with most of their groups and with the help of blogs and online journals they have found support groups with other girls across the world. Some of these outlets beg for tons of information that most of these young girls shouldn't even be giving out. And even with Facebook, although the information given isn't as available if you aren't a "friend" with the person on their Facebook page, but within a click, you can find out what school someone goes to. In the article by Danah Boyd, she analyzes Myspace by breaking the site down into three parts. She found that profiles, friends, and comments were the main elements that made up this particular social network. With these components, all the dots can be connected to make up who someone is on the net. Even though the real world and the world wide web lack so many things in common, there is one thing that the two do share, and that is each individuals need to be heard. In GWW, there's a line that states "the hybrid public and private spaces which girls choose to publish their blogs are testimony to their insistence upon being heard". And while there is a constant need for being apart of something bigger and having your voice heard and interacting with people you wouldn't normally be able to access, I don't think there should be too much information about yourself placed online. It's just not safe, and the Internet never sleeps, so your information is available 24/7.